Disney Magic returns to Europe
Summer Mediterranean cruises offer new shows, menus, activities
Fourteen days after departing Florida's Port Canaveral for a trans-Atlantic crossing, the Disney Magic arrived in Barcelona on May 25. This Spanish port will serve as the ship's temporary summer home as Disney Cruise Line offers its first-ever Mediterranean itineraries with 10- and 11-night cruises that include ports in Italy (Palermo, Naples (Pompeii), Civitavecchia (Rome), La Spezia), Sardinia (an island between Italy, Spain, and Tunisia), and France (Marseilles and Villefranche). The Magic then sets sail on August 18 for a return trip to Florida.
Disney Cruise Line celebrates the arrival in Barcelona with a fireworks show. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The Magic was greeted in Barcelona by a fireworks display, including an opening “wishing star” fired from the ship. Once the ship made port, Disney VoluntEars (employees from local Disney business units) led tours of the ship for children from local organizations, and Spanish media got its first look at the ship.
A number of plaques were presented to the Disney Magic to commemorate the inaugural visits to Tenerife, Gibralter, Cadiz and Barcelona. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The arrival activities followed a 14-day repositioning cruise from Florida, a trip marked by high seas and inaugural stops in four ports. According to the ship's crew report, around 300 of the 1,900+ passengers who made the voyage also booked back-to-back cruises so they could remain on board for the first 11-night Mediterranean cruise.
New ports
The ship's journey from Florida marked a number of milestones, including the first trans-Atlantic sailing with passengers, and the first visits to Tenerife, Gibraltar, Cadiz, and Barcelona. In keeping with maritime tradition, the ship exchanged plaques with each new port it visited, and honored the silly tradition of having passengers “kiss” an Atlantic-caught fish to guarantee a safe transit.
Passengers participate in a traditional ritual to mark their first voyage across the Atlantic. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The voyage included six consecutive days at sea—another first for Disney—with the activities staff working hard to fill the days with deck parties and entertainment, despite the sometimes inclement weather.
A young passenger learns that a hula hoop makes a poor shield against a water gun-wielding alien during the Mouse20 deck party. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Tenerife
The port in Tenerife comes into view for the Magic. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The Disney Magic makes port in Tenerife. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Cadiz
Lights sparkle in the night view of the Cadiz marina. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Gibraltar
A uniformed military band greets passengers disembarking in Gibraltar. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The Disney Magic docks at the port of Gibraltar. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Barcelona
The Disney Magic docks in the port of Barcelona. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
A Barcelona water fountain is beautifully light at night. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
New Entertainment
The cast of “When Mickey Dreams.” Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The trans-Atlantic cruise included the premier of a new stage show, “When Mickey Dreams”, and a new “Party Paradiso” evening deck party. The award-winning show “Disney Dreams” was updated last year, and many passengers got their first peek at the new “Disney Dreams… An Enchanted Classic.”
Disney stages additional productions on longer cruises, and this trip featured encore presentations of “On the Nose” and “Disney's The Art of the Story,” concerts by Boyz II Men and Jim Brickman, a crew talent show, and a “premier at sea” of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.
The Dream Seekers perform an offbeat but compelling version of “Chim-Chim-Cheri.” Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
When Mickey Dreams borrows components from a number of Disney productions—music from Wishes and Tapestry of Dreams
An acrobat troupe gives the production a Cirque-like air. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Maleficent makes her first Disney Cruise Line appearance. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Mickey wakes up from his unusual dream. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Party Paradiso
Crew members entertain the audience before Party Paradiso. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Mickey and friends take a bow at Party Paradiso. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Party Paradiso is a new evening deck party that takes full advantage of the new technology added to the Disney Magic during its last dry dock. The show begins as a character-filled skit, but soon all eyes are focused high above the stage as an aerialist makes a dramatic entrance. The party continues with an outdoor laser display, another first for the cruise line.
A high-flying aerialist performs a silks routine high above deck nine. A screen behind the aerialist provides a backdrop for the elegant performance. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Party Paradiso includes the first use of lasers in a Disney deck party. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Disney Dreams… An Enchanted Classic
A new screen allows for enhanced backdrops in each scene. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The “Disney Dreams” show now includes snow effects during the Beauty and the Beast sequence. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The “Disney Dreams” show has a major new set piece for the big finale. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Boyz II Men
Shawn Stockman of the R & B group Boys II Men performs during an onboard concert. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Jim Brickman
A Disney Magic entertainer (left) sings a duet with contemporary pianist Jim Brickman in a concert performed aboard the cruise ship. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Pirates
A technician rolls the film reel for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End to the projection booth. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
New Activities
Disney created over 100 shore excursions for the Mediterranean cruises—everything from museum tours and beach outings, to the chance to drive a Ferrari Adventure or take a private tour of the Vatican. Many of the new excursions have detailed dress codes or other guidelines, so DCL skipped the usual printed brochure and installed dedicated computer terminals on the Disney Magic to provide the full descriptions and requirements of each excursion. On board, new activities for children and adults are themed to the new European ports of call, and menus updated to reflect the local cuisine.
New, dedicated terminals give all the details of more than 100 shore excursions. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Disney was to have introduced expanded wireless Internet coverage on the ship for this voyage, but the workers (who had already been on the ship for a month prior to the cruise) could not finish the installation before the Magic left Port Canaveral—and wound up sailing to Europe with the ship to complete the project. Wireless Internet coverage is now available in all passenger staterooms, in addition to the existing wireless “hot spots” on the ships. DCL now offers Cellular At Sea service aboard the Disney Magic, and passengers can now use their personal cell phones to make calls from their staterooms while the ship is at sea. This cell phone service will be available on the Disney Wonder later this summer.
Disney representatives say that they are pleased with the sales of the Mediterranean cruises, and the Barcelona-based newspaper El Periodico reported on May 24 that the Disney ship may return in 2009 for another summer season in Europe. (Disney has not yet announced itineraries for 2009, so it's uncertain on what El Periodico based that report.)
Discounted rates, as low as $1299 per person, are available for selected Mediterranean cruises; about half of the original $2,399 base fare. The Westbound repositioning cruise is available for as low as $1099 per person for a category 12 standard inside stateroom. You can view current specials at this link.
[To read more about this cruise, read Adrienne Vincent Phoenix's detailed trip report in MousePlanet's new Trip Reports forum here.]
